Doppelganger
by BartyJnr
Summary: When someone badly attacked appears within Hogwarts and looking like a certain dead Professor, one year after the war ends, what is a Potter to do? Rated K , because there isn't really much in there, but I do describe a bit of hurt body'ness.


NOTE - Please excuse the grammar, its probably horrible, but I don't really have anyone willing to give me the time of day... I hope its ok, its just something that just jumped into my head.

The year after the war had finished hadn't exactly been what one would call a perfectly peaceful year. Many revolted towards the remaining "Death Eaters", using the excuse to get perfectly innocent people locked away, causing more work for the already stretched thinly Aurors, as well as the amount of attention Harry Potter was getting.

Everyone was getting more and more annoyed at the diversion people from Hogwarts were making whenever the subject of Harry Potter was approached. Oh he's fine, perfect, absolutely fine but NO, he's not coming out to play seemed to be the general answer to most asked questions. It was strange to most people, but the people within the circle of Harry's friends knew.

Ever since the final battle, Harry hadn't really been ok. First he wouldn't speak, then he'd lock himself away, then started the anxiety attacks. Loud noises, big lights, crowds of people flocking towards him; no, Harry would run, or faint. It was getting better, enough for him to at least eat up at the head table within Hogwarts with all the other staff during this summer break. Everything was going well, though he was still skittish during the meals, jumping when tapped by someone for attention, or if someone dropped a utensil.

So, of course, when a big light seemed to appear from no where, with the bang of a bad apparation and all of the staff jumped to their feet, anxiety stuck Harry hard. Panicking, Harry drove himself backwards, hitting the wall and sliding down it, curling as if to hide. His vision was blacking out, but he could see someone within the light… someone tall, but slumped, falling forwards towards the floor.

"But then who is he?!" voices appeared from the blackness.

"I don't know, Professor, but it can't be him, we saw him die-"

"But no-one ever found a body!"

Harry rolled to his side, looking towards the voices, squinting to find his glasses before slipping them onto his nose.

"Well its not him in any case." Madame Pomfrey denied, "Look at his neck; no scaring. If he _was_ bitten by Nagini as you three stated, then he would be terribly scared."

"Aren't there any potions he could have used?" Minerva asked quietly, staring down at the sleeping man.

"Well yes, but he would have had to have them on him, and surely you checked him for-" Pomfrey looks towards Hermione, who seems to be trying to look anywhere but at the Healer. "You didn't. Well, alright then. As silly as that was, in the moment, I suppose I can excuse it, but really!" With a tut, she starts to wave her wand around the sleeping man again.

No-one notices Harry slowly sit himself up and hang his legs out of the bed, looking towards this new arrival. He supposes he can't really get annoyed at them for forgetting he's here. This poor man looked tortured, though if it was Snape (it couldn't be him, could it?), then Harry could understand why he would look tortured. Covered in white sheets to the waist, Harry could see countless bloody gashes travelling the mans broad chest, some healing, some open and angry, as well as some scars already formed under the blood. The eye closest to Harry was swollen shut, as well as the side of his mouth having a gash running through it and his nose looking rather broken.

All in all, the man looked terrible, and from here, he could see why they could see a looking for Severus Snape from the man. But Harry could see differences. For one, he couldn't ever picture Snape cutting his hair down that short, about as short as Harry's own hair, nor could he find any sign of a Dark Mark ever having graced the mans arm, and Pomfrey was right, there was no scarring whatsoever.

"I don't think thats Snape." Harry mumbles, standing up to take a better look at the man, "But I do wonder who it is… he didn't have any family, did he?"

"To be honest…" Minerva looked towards Harry and sighed sadly, "I can't remember really talking to him about his social life. I mean, the man was very secretive, always sneaking about.. this man looks the double for him, theres nothing saying that its not his twin that he's had hidden somewhere, but he doesn't have a brother listed in the book of magical people…"

Harry hadn't ever seen Minerva so puzzled in his life. "I suppose theres only one ways to find out." Harry says, sighing and pulling up a chair. "We wait until he wakes up."

Three days later and Harry was bored. He'd helped stock the Ward, he'd help wash and feed this man, but not even a mumble had came from him. Well, once there had been a rather painful moan, but that was from healing balm stinging in the gash across the mans face.

He was healing up rather nice, really, but everyday the man looked more and more like Snape. It was starting to get rather annoying. It could not BE the bat, he saw the git die. He'd never come back begging for help, even if he had been tortured! Harry runs his hand over the mans hair, checking to see if the cut within his scalp had healed up nicely, only to jump slightly at the slither of dark eyes peaking at him.

"You're awake?" Harry mumbles quietly, not wanting to scare the man, or hurt his head more from what the concussion such a beating would have left him with.

"Seems it…" there was a northern English hint to the mans tone, a slight frown appearing across his face, "Where'm I?"

"Hogwarts… do you know what that is?"

"I… I think so… did… did Severus Snape work here?"

Well, that solved that then. Sort of.

"Yeah, but- " Harry stopped. What if this man was closer to Severus then they thought? He didn't really fancy being the one that told the man that Snape was dead due to a bad war, " - he's not here."

"I know… he'll be at home, worryin' about me…" the man sighs and shoves himself up a little before giving a sharp painful cry and wrapping a arm around his ribs. Harry jumps in shock, backing off slightly before getting a hold of himself and stepping back to help the man lay back down.

"Who are you?"

"'m Benjamin… 'm Severus' _little_ boy." the man chuckles as he says the word 'little', wincing slightly and holding his ribs once more.

"You're his son?!" Harry knows his eyes must be dinner plates right now, but really, who could blame him. Who knew that Snape had a son? Well, as far as Harry knew, no one… other then Benjamin and Snape, that is. "He never mentioned a son…"

"Because spy's always go on about there family when they're in a war, obviously." Oh well, there was the sarcasm at any rate. Defiantly related then.

"But you look as old as he was!"

"_IS!_" Benjamin growls at Harry, "Just because he ran, doesn't mean he's _dead_ you know!" he sighs deeply and shakes his head slowly, "Sorry… look, I was sort of… a accidental child, you know? Uncle Luc took him to a party at his place when he was young, things happened, I appeared. I'm only 16 years younger then him… he didn't find out about me until he left school. Then he hid me, told no one about me, my mam didn't want me in the first place… she was a stupid whore anyways."

Benjamin sighs and looks towards Harry and his openly shocked face, "Look, just…. do me a favour and don't tell anyone that, ok? Just trust me, he's alive, I'm his son, and he'll probably turn up here if you send him a owl saying I'm here. I'm not lying. I'm not trying to trick you."

"Why are you here?" Minerva appears in the door way, looking rather concerned, "Sorry to have snooped, but things are a need to know, I won't tell a soul."

Benjamin sighs again before answering, "My da' gave me this… " he lifts the pendant around his neck slightly before letting it drop again, "Said that if I was ever desperate, ever really needed to run and hide or get away from people, that I should grab it and think of help. Took me a while before I could get my hand untied enough to reach up and grab it. But then I appeared here, which I suppose, when I was little, was just the place he'd have wanted me to go. I've hardly any magic, see? Well, its a rather useless amount, anyways. I can do little certain things… I can shoot a fireball, or lift a book from a shelf, but thats about it."

"And you say that Severus is alive?"

"Yeah, and he's gonna hate me for telling you lot… he wasn't going to let you know. Said he was just going to become a memory, and a bad one at that. Just send a owl to S.M.P.S.A and he'll come here whether he wants to or not. Always promised he'd come out of hiding if I was in trouble… I'd say I'm in trouble, hey?" a small smile appeared briefly upon Benjamin's face before disappearing, "You're not going to lock him away, are you? 'cos I'll run… and you'll never find him…"

The thought had obviously just entered the mans head, as suddenly he seemed to have new strength, pushing himself from the bed, though his face showed just how much pain this was causing him.

"No no no! Silly boy, lie down. No ones going to hurt your father! If anything, we're going to thank him! Surely he knows he's been awarded a post-humorous Order of Merlin First Class!" Minerva sighs and shakes her head, "Well of course he doesn't, because he's ran from the magical side of things, hasn't he!"

"Well… yeah." Benjamin slides back into the bed, grumbling slightly as Madame Pomfrey was called to come and check on his ribs and such. Soon after, he was taking far too many potions, if you asked Benjamin, and black invaded his vision.

Severus Snape was not happy, while at the same time, being as happy as he'd been in a short while. His son went missing a week ago now, disappearing from the middle of a street, in front of a crowd. He'd been pulled into the back of a white van, and driven away at high speeds. Anyone else would have thought this was just some muggle gang grabbing people, but Severus knew better. The Van had a Dark Mark on the back door, as unoriginal as they could get, really. For a whole week, Severus had been as lost as he'd ever been. Does he go to the ministry and admit he's been hiding away, but needed their help to find a son that according to their records, didn't exist? Does he go to Hogwarts and beg not to be killed on sight, but ask of them to help him? Or does he go to try and find the bastards on his own, working as he always has, in secret, without help from anyone?

In short, none of the options had worked out anyways. Anytime Severus found out information, it was days old, and after five days, he'd broken down for a day. The next day, this letter appeared. Apparently his son had appeared in Hogwarts and told them who he was. Now yes, his son had outed his father, and yes, he'd probably told them loads more then they needed, but he was alive and safe and in good hands, so really, Severus couldn't be too angry with him.

Severus could remember when the woman had approached him at the train station, seconds after he'd jumped from the train, and shoved a toddler into his arms before yelling that it was his issue now and storming away. After a couple of spells, Severus had figured out that, yes, this boy defiantly was his own blood, so must had came from that little party he couldn't really remember, but had woke up naked, sweaty and not all together pleasant. Annoyingly, Severus didn't really have anyone to go to for help other then Lucius, and really he just didn't feel safe doing that.

So he'd done what any new father would have done. He went into the muggle world, he found the closest leisure centre and asked for the first appointment with the baby clinic.

He'd explained his circumstances, ignored all the dirty looks and taken every leaflet of information the clinic could give him, booked himself into all the classes he could and decided right then that he would make the best out of everything he could for this little boy, all the while keeping him a complete secret. He picked the boys name, strangely enough from a student he'd been friendly with.

After a month of learning, Severus had most of the basics of dealing with a growing boy picked up, and a lot of books hidden within his new un-plottable home deep within the city of Newcastle. Soon after moving in, his attention focused on keeping his son safe from the knowledge of anyone and everyone that could harm him. He found a squib he knew from school, a younger girl that had been accepted, but when she lost all talent of magic naturally throughout the school year, had sadly been told she could no longer study at Hogwarts. He had stayed in touch with Sally, and a good thing too.

She had told him she had no where to go, and having been disowned by her pureblooded parents, left with nothing. Sally happily took on the well paid job of a live in parent (but in no way called mamma, mam, or anything of the sort).

That was how Benjamin had grown up. Severus went through his life, making his many mistakes along the way, but always safe in the knowledge that when he popped back home for a few weeks every summer, there would be a little (though steadily bigger) boy, smiling and waiting to run into his arms. Even after Severus' "death", when he returned home, bloody, beaten, sore and weak, Benjamin had been waiting, as if he'd known to be home at that exact time. Ben had caught his father and dragged him to the sofa, taking all instructions on what potion bottles and creams to use when and where.

He was left scared, and unable to turn his head to the right as much as he used to be able to, but it was better then dead.

Now however, was the time to be brave again. He would be stepping back into Hogwarts, the place he'd last seen when fighting, the place he murdered the man that may as well have been his grandfather, the place that had held him in as home for so many years. He couldn't tell whether he was sad or happy to be going back.

Sighing deeply, Severus apparates, a thing he hadn't done in years, having been living as much of a muggle life as he could possibly stand. Severus appears before Hogwarts gates, stumbling slightly from the sensation of appearing somewhere other then were one had been moments ago. Steadying himself, Severus steels and walks through the gates, heading straight for the castle itself.

"Yeah, so Sally, she's been like… my long term baby sitter, I suppose, though she's more like my sister now, you know… "Get outta my room!" sort of thing." Benjamin laughs softly, yelping a little as the bandages are wound around his waist. "You know, this isn't the most dignified place in the world." he grumbles. He's sat, arms in the air as a large bandage wraps him from chest to top of stomach, to help his ribs not bend.

"You could be naked, running through the house yelling 'I'm a fwee fwee birdie!"" a deep voice grumbles from the doorway, a deep chuckle following after.

"Dad!" Ben jumps up, ignoring the annoyed yells from Pomfrey, stumbling towards the man, "You came!"

"Of course I came. I always promised you, and I do not break my promises." Severus walks into the room, wrapping a arm softly around his son before looking him up and down and growling lightly, "Bastards. I will find them and rip them apart…"

"Dad, stop it. No you won't. You'll tell the police, or the aw-ors or whatever they're called and you'll let them do their damned jobs." Ben growls back at his dad, matching the older mans snarl as he sits himself back onto the bed and allowed the healer to continue wrapping him up, "I didn't go through all of that so that they could hurt you too. I know what they looked like, I know which way we headed on the roads. I can give them a round about area to stage a hunt, but you will not be getting involved, dad."

Severus sighs and sits across from his son, staring straight into the black eyes that matched his own before nodding and smiling slightly, "Alright, you win. I won't go hunting." He sighs softly, looking across the room to where the two people are seemingly believing themselves to be hidden from view, "Minerva, Potter."

"Harry, please."

"Harry then. I suppose you're wanting some story of how I came to be here?"

Minerva huffed slightly, marching up to Severus, standing directly in front of him before slapping his arm and promptly hugging him seconds later, "I don't care why you're here, or how you are. I'm just glad you are."

The shock seemingly showed on his face, as Harry moved forwards, nodding softly, "It's true. You wouldn't believe how much people mourned you… it was strange, to say the least. People who we knew to hate you were crying when you were awarded a Order of Merlin, and not out of anger either!" The shock must be back again, because Harry laughed and continued, "Yes, yes, you were given a Order of Merlin. First Class too, mind! I made sure of it. You saved my life so many times, gave up yours… well, as near on. Though, I suppose giving up your life and hiding your family from all harm would measure up about the same."

Ben smiled at his fathers stunned face, cocking his eyebrow lightly, "See! Told you you couldn't be that hated. They all liked you, but just in a round about way."

"I suppose thats one way to put it… another would be 'we loved to hate him, but we hated that we liked him all the same', as Ron once put it." Harry grins softly, putting his hand onto Severus' shoulder lightly, causing the man to look him in the eyes, "Thank you. So very much. I now know that you gave up even more then I thought you had when you went spying to try and save the wizarding world, and really, I don't think I could ever do anything to repay you, but if you ever need anything, you be sure to let me know, ok?" Harry smiles softly, nodding to the still silently stunned man before walking out, waving bye to Benjamin.

It was a couple of days before Benjamin could move from the bed by himself. Though, he was using a walking stick for the time being, just to take most of the weight from his left foot, which had been crushed rather heavily when hit multiple times with a sledge hammer.

He had spoken with the ministry, after the whole 'Severus Snape is alive and has a son!' issue had been swept to one side. Told them where abouts he had travelled to, by his memory, explained the plan out of the insides of the building, how big it was, described the men who had both taken and tortured him, as well as given them the few names he had heard them talk of.

Benjamin had to admit, he was rather jealous of the kids who got to go here. The food was amazing, and as nice at it was to see his father talking with people, he could see his old man wanting to escape again. It was a strange mix of wanting to stay and catch up with old friends, and wanting to hide back in his whole with his family. Ben decided it was time to go home tomorrow, but he would be convincing his dad to let some people pop by and open up his floo. To be honest, through the boy was bit of a age gap, Harry was a good laugh to talk to. He'd become good friends with the lad, and he could see that his dad didn't mind Harry either… well, actually, Ben thought he could see a little bit more then 'not minding' Harry within his fathers eyes sometimes, but as soon as his dad saw him looking, it would flash from existence.

What would happen, with a little planning. Ben grinned, and his father leaned down, causing him to jump slightly.

"What _are_ you grinning about, Benjamin?"

"Nooottthhhiinngg daaad!" Ben grins more, ducking his head and shovelling some more food, chuckling at the snort his father gave him.

A year later saw Benjamin fully healed, perfectly healthy and funnily enough, expecting a little boy of his own sometime soon, with his brand new wife. A friend of Sally's that he'd know for a few years, but nothing had really went on between then, had suddenly bloomed when he had returned with broken ribs and a few odd scars, with stories of being attacked and hospitalised for a few weeks.

What was even better, in Benjamin's eyes was that his father had finally given in on his wants and had let Harry move in with him. They were both still learning each other, but Benjamin could tell they were happy with each other.

Who knows, maybe a little brother for him could come from this? All Ben knew is that he was a good thing his father had bought a large house when moving up here. This family was getting bigger and bigger, and didn't look to be stopping.

_Fin._


End file.
